so im probably going to regret it

[BlackestKrim]

Whoops, maybe we did jump the gun on the planting sis. But my greenhouse is too full, and we have to make room. I am going to go ahead and plant a few today as well, and just protect them if/when the frost comes.

With as many plants as I have I want to try to get some early growth and thus extra fruit before the heat hits- I can always replace any dead ones. And I don't think they well die, after seeing Goodwin's pictures in this thread: http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...walls+of+water

I don't have WoW but I do have a bale of hay. Would hay all around the plants, topped with a sheet, work for a freeze? Or should I also save 2-liters/milk jugs to fill with water?

[BlackestKrim]

Originally Posted by BSue54

it seems like we always got a good freeze around Easter when I lived in the Hill Country.

I am afraid of waiting too late and not getting enough fruit. There is always a gamble between a late freeze and an early summer.

They typical plant data here is March 15th. However, some of my 'maters were seeded too early and are outgrowing their 4" pots. I need to make space for bigger pots in the greenhouse.

[BSue54]

Originally Posted by BlackestKrim

I am afraid of waiting too late and not getting enough fruit. There is always a gamble between a late freeze and an early summer.

I understand the dilemma...

This is actually the first year that I haven't waited until the end of February or middle of March to get hit by the growing fever. And always regretted it.

I will be redeemed from early set out by the fact that my seed only came out of the package on Feb.1 - Will prolly see how I do with putting them in Solo Cups today, after I work out in the burned over weedpatch a while. My intent, at this point in time (always subject to change) is to plant some of each variety in SWCs and some in the ground, to see what the difference is here. And, since I had almost 100% germination rate on those already started, AND I put 3-4 seed in each of the Jiffy Pods, I am now faced with trying to tease the root balls apart, or limit myself to 2 of each in tainers and 2 in the ground, since I started with 4 pods of each variety. They're getting big enough that I'm not sure how successful seperation will be, since I can see roots coming out the sides of the pods, all over the place. Any suggestions?

I'll save these tempting seed I got from the kind SASE offers of Stephen and Lurley, and start them for a fall crop, since I know starting them NOW would be cruel and unusual punishment for a mater!

Bobbie, who needs to get busy outside in Cut-N-Shoot

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by BlackestKrim

I am afraid of waiting too late and not getting enough fruit. There is always a gamble between a late freeze and an early summer.

They typical plant data here is March 15th. However, some of my 'maters were seeded too early and are outgrowing their 4" pots. I need to make space for bigger pots in the greenhouse.

"They typical plant data here is March 15th."

We aren't typical are we.

March 15 is too late because we can go from nice weather to HOT weather in April some times.

I like to plant out with plants around 18 inchs tall and bushy.

Worth

[MikeInCypress]

Bobbie,
The seedlings are tough. I put 3 seeds in each Jiffy Pellet and in at least half of them all 3 germinate. I pull the pellet apart and replant in Stytrofoam Cups and if there is one root hair on the seedling it soon catches up with the one in the pellet. I only start 1 pellet per variety and I have ended up with 3 plants of the varieties I prize.

Set out eight plants today.

MikeInCypress

[RadiantSeaRodent]

Originally Posted by BlackestKrim

I don't have WoW but I do have a bale of hay. Would hay all around the plants, topped with a sheet, work for a freeze? Or should I also save 2-liters/milk jugs to fill with water?

we could do both. id be surprised if we had enough hay to cover everyone, and enough bottles for the rest. were a little lucky in that the weathers gonna be nice for a little while, time for the plants to root in well.
heyguesswhat? not only does the early stupice have little flower buds, but the rosella purple has some honkers! man, this winter seemed like it lasted for-ever; i am soo looking forwards to my first honest to goodness home grown tomato!

Bobbie, we didnt have any trouble separating seedlings. We waited untill the second set of leaves were well out. I think it helps that BlackestKrim keeps a fan blowing on the seedlings from the beginning, so they are already stout and strong.

[b54red]

[QUOTE=RadiantSeaRodent;200781]Yeah 25 miles can be all the difference in the world! Our oaks are almost budded and my peach trees are thinkin about it. Im hoping they do hold off for a few weeks just to be safe.

Don't trust those peaches. They are usually as impatient as tomato growers.

[ArcherB]

Originally Posted by Worth1

...
If memory serves me right 8 years ago I planted out at exactly this same time and the oaks and such had their leaves just coming out.
Everyone thought I was nuts but low and behold no more frost or freeze.
...

Worth

I like the idea of waiting for the oaks to sprout their leaves. All we have here is live oaks so I guess I'll wait for their leaves to drop (they get replaced as they drop) and take notes to see what the weather is like after that.

I remember getting really close to a freeze last year in late March/early April and had to scramble to find anything I could to cover my plants with. I am certain we'll see another frost or at least something close to it. Fine with me at this point since none of my plants are ready. They need at least another two weeks in the window and another hardening off outside. That's why I'm leaving the ones I have in the WOW's. They'll be protected from the wind and cold. My WOW's are so leaky and crappy that it will keep them watered too!

WOW's are nice, if you can get some that are well made. The ones I have were purchased at Home Depot and are not nice. The first year I bought one pack of three and set them up. I checked on them two hours later and two of the three had collapsed onto my plants. This is why I place them around the cages to hold them up.

The problem with my WOW's may be due the fact that the first ones I got I used my garden sprayer to fill them up. Not a good idea as the high pressure broke the partition separating the tubes, causing them to bulge at the bottom and collapse.

Also note that Walls Of Water is a brand name. I'm not sure what brand I have, probably Burpee. The actual WOW brand or one of the many others may be better made than the ones I have.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by RadiantSeaRodent

Suzie, Do you always cover over the tops of your tomatoes, like a mini greenhouse for each one? or only with the threat of a freeze? I was planning on using some hay to cover them up with when it gets chilly, then a towel or sheet over top( with a stout stick to make sure the tomato doesn't get crushed or anything).

I put the row cover on right after planting and leave it in place until the first or second week of April. After that, it probably isn't wise to leave it on because the slight amount of extra heat that builds up inside might cause some blossom drop.

The main reason I leave it in place is that is there are too many plants to keep taking it off and putting it back on. It would take me hours each time, and when a front moves in, the winds are usually high which makes it a pain to get that cover back on without assistance. I don't wrap each individual cage, I wrap with one really long piece around all the cages in a raised bed because that is the most efficient way for my particular setup. Cover is held in place with lots and lots of wooden clothespins.

Another reason I go ahead and just leave it on is the small chance of spring hail storms - it doesn't happen often, but I'd be kicking myself if I could have had the row cover in place and didn't, then got hail. I do not know what larger hail would do to the row cover, might knock some holes in it and I'd have to buy more or tape the holes (but it would probably save my plants). Pea to quarter size doesn't damage it, though.

Edit - Leaving the cover in place protects from wind while the plants are getting established, and they also tend to grow faster because of the mild greenhouse effect it provides.


Click for Larger Size

[Worth1]

[quote=b54red;200814]

Originally Posted by RadiantSeaRodent

Yeah 25 miles can be all the difference in the world! Our oaks are almost budded and my peach trees are thinkin about it. Im hoping they do hold off for a few weeks just to be safe.

Don't trust those peaches. They are usually as impatient as tomato growers.

It really depends on the variety of peach. Peaches will need anything from 200 to 600 chill hours and more to blossom. Many people make the mistake of getting the 300 chill hour peach when they really need 500 chill hours. this will prevent early blooming. Many big box stores sell a Peach tree and dont tell what variety it is. A real big mistake to buy one of those. Lowes does this sometimes.

I noticed that my Pomegranate tree is starting to swell along with the Vitex buds.

For tomatoes this year all I can do is get a few totes and some potting soil and grow grape and cherry tomatoes. Maybe ten plants From the store.

Worth

[RadiantSeaRodent]

My peach should be ok, la felicianas are rated for zones 5-8 with 550 chill hours. I hope it will be ok, the peaches last year were fabulous.

Suzie, your set up looks great! Thats a lot of tomatoes. Definatly worth it for the peace of mind knowing that the plants are always protected. If things wernt so financially tight this year for us id probably go get some of that row cover.
Ahh, theres always next year!

We are supposed to get a pretty good frost tonight sitting here 50 miles North of Dallas. I moved my seedlings outside about one week ago to start hardening off. I built a little tent out of clear plastic just in case we do get some cold weather before plant out on March 1.



It has a back side which I can lower to enclose the seedlings completely.



I wrapped all my cages in plastic for protection after planting. The wife and I were in town today (Denton, Tx) to shop. Folks in the neighborhoods are still raking their fall leaves and stacking the bags by the street for pickup. I stopped and picked up four of those clear, forty gallon bags full of leaves. If we had been in the truck instead of the car, I would have loaded up about forty bags for the compost pile. The four bags will be used to pour leaves down over my new tomato plants inside the plastic wrapped cages if we have any danger of frost after March 1. I've protected them with leaves in the past and it works well for me.



Ted

[RadiantSeaRodent]

Originally Posted by tedln

We are supposed to get a pretty good frost tonight sitting here 50 miles North of Dallas.

Yeah, I heard about that today. Thats too bad, but I bet your plants will be just fine, with what your doing and all that iv read on this here forum. We got a little lucky down south here, the winds are taking the next few lows on a more northern track and missing us completly.
Boy, I hope our friends way up north get a break from all that snow soon!

My sister nabs other peoples bags of leaves all the time. Quite funny, really. You know what they say, ones mans trash.. anothers treasure!

I don't mind the cooler air we started receiving today. Two weeks ago, we had temps around 10 degrees with chill factors below 0 degrees. The past few days we have been close to 80 with high humidity. We have had some crazy weather this winter. Long range weather says March will be a warm month due to the location of the jet stream. Could be a great year for tomatoes.

Ted

[sfmathews]

Ted, that would be freaking awesome!!! Thanks for that update!

Originally Posted by tedln

I don't mind the cooler air we started receiving today. Two weeks ago, we had temps around 10 degrees with chill factors below 0 degrees. The past few days we have been close to 80 with high humidity. We have had some crazy weather this winter. Long range weather says March will be a warm month due to the location of the jet stream. Could be a great year for tomatoes.

Ted